Acetylene-gas generator.



P. A. ROSE.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

- APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 9, 1910.

,Pat ented Oct. 3, 1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

P. A. ROSE AGETYLBNE GAS GENERATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9, 1910.

1,004,909, Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

a SHEETS-SHEET a. 6515 Q 4.5M 7 9.4. 9

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL A. ROSE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ACETYLENE APPARATUS MFG. (10., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 9, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL A. Rose, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to acetylene gas generators of that type employing a generation chamber adapted to contain a body of water, a superposed carbid holder, a gasometer having a rising and falling gasometer bell, and a carbid feed device beneath the discharge mouth of the carbid holder ac tuated by and from the gasometer bell to deliver successive charges of carbid into the generation chamber.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of acetylene gas generator of the type above named wherein the actuating mechanism of the carbid feed device may be automatically disconnected when the pressure in the gasometer falls to an abnormally low point and may automatically recouple when the abnormal pressure in the gasometer is restored, in cooperation with an interference device on the carbidholder adapted, when moved to a position permitting the opening of the carbid-holder to disconnect the operating mechanism of the carbid feed device.

To this end the invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention, and its purposes and advantages, will be readily understood when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing one mechanical form in which the invention may be embodied, and wherein- Figure lis a side elevational view of the complete apparatus, with the gasometer bell shown in raised position corresponding with the non-delivery position (Fig. 4) of the feed-shoe. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the upper part of the apparatus, showing the gasometer bell in its lowest normal posi tion corresponding with the delivery position (Fig. 5) of the feed-shoe. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating an abnormally low position of the gasometer bell wherein the actuating connections between the latter and the pivot shaft of the feed-shoe have become disconnected, permitting the feed-shoe to swing by gravity to the non-delivery position (Fig. 4). Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in perspective of the carbid holder, feed-shoe and interference device, the feed-shoe being shown in non-delivery position. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the lower portion of Fig. 1, but showing the feed-shoe in delivery position. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional detail in the vertical plane of the pivot-shaft of the feed-shoe, showing the separable clutch mechanism between the pivot proper of the feed shoe and the actuating crank shaft thereof.

, Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the lower or body portion and 11 the upper contracted or neck portion of the generating tank forming the generation chamber, 12 the carbid holder mounted on the neck 11 of the generating tank, 13 the gasometer tank, 14 the gasometer bell telescoping the gasorneter tank, 15 the gas delivery pipe leading from the neck 11 of the generating tank into the gasometer tank, and 16 the discharge spout for the sludge in the generating tank. )Vith the exception of the manner and means of mounting and securing the carbid holder, these parts are all as usual in acetylene generators of the type herein represented.

Referring now more particularly to those novel features wherein my present improvements reside, it will be observed that the up per end of the neck 11 of the generating tank and the lower portion of the carbid holder .12 are provided with broad annular flanges 17 and 18, respectively, which, with an interposed gasket 19 to make a gas-tight joint, are securely united as by bolts 20. The lower end of the carbid holder 12 is formed with a delivery mouth 21 (Fig. 5) and suspended therebeneath on a pivot-shaft 22 journaled in bearings 23 carried by hanger brackets 24 secured to the flange 18 is the feed-shoe 25. This feed-shoe, which is of a known type, comprises generally a substantially rectangular receptacle 25 closed at one end and at its opposite end communieating With an underlying delivery chute 25 disposed at an acute angle to the receptacle 25*, so that, when the shoe is in the position illustrated in Fig. 4 a charge of carbid flows through the mouth 21 of the holder and open end of the receptacle 25 into the rear or closed end of the chute 25 and when the shoe is tilted to the position shown in Fig. 5, this charge falls from the chute into the generation chamber, a portion of the next charge simultaneously flowing into the closed end of the upper receptacle 25. One end of the pivot-shaft 22 is squared as shown, and has mounted thereon a clutch-member in the form of a straight bar 26 which is engaged by a cooperating U- shaped clutch-member 27 fast on the inner end of a crank-shaft 28 (Fig. 6) that passes through a gland in the side wall of the neck 11 of the generating tank and is additionally supported by a bearing bracket 29 secured to the latter. This crankshaft carries a crank-arm 30 having an outwardly bent handle 31.

32 designates an upright secured to the main body 10 of the generating tank and constituting a support for the pivoted end of a lever 33, which latter has pivotally mounted near its free end an L-shaped member formed by a depending hook portion 34 and a counter-weighted arm 35, said member being pivoted to the lever 33 at its elbow, as shown at 36, and in such a posi tion that the counter-weighted arm 35 normally tends to swing the hook 34 toward the pivot of the lever 33. The hook 34 is adapted to engage and cooperate with the handle 31 of the crank-arm 30 in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and to effect the automatic engagement of said parts, when disengaged, under the downwardly bodily movement of the hook, the lower end of the latter is formed with an inclined or cam-shaped edge 34 adapted to over-ride the handle 31, the weighted arm 35 acting to swing the hook into engaging relation with the handle 31 as soon as the latter has passed ofi the upper end of the inclined edge 34. To limit the extent of inward swing of the hook I provide at the free end of the lever 33, and beyond the pivot 36 of the hook, a laterally extending pin 37 that forms a stop for the counter-weighted arm.

The lever 33 is actuated and controlled in its swinging movements from the gasometer bell 14 by means of a connection herein shown as consisting of a chain 38 connecting the upper end of the gasometer bell with one end of a'lever 39, the opposite end of which is connected by a pivoted link 40 with the lever 33 inwardly of the pivot 36. The lever 39 is pivotally supported between its ends by a hanger 41 suspended from a yokelike support 42 mounted on and above the gasometer tank 13, the vertical members of which constitute guides for the gasometer bell, as usual in this class of devices. From this it will be seen that the rise of the gasometer bell permits the lever 33 and the hook carried thereby to descend by gravity, while 'the fall of the gasometer bell positively raises said lever and hook.

The carbid holder 12 is provided with an interference device herein shown as comprising a bent strap 43 pivoted substantially midway of its length at 44 to the intermedi atc cylindrical wall of the carbid holder, the upper part of said strap overlying the top of the carbid holder and provided with a spring end-portion 43" adapted to engage an up-standing pin 45 in the usual filling plug 46 at the top of the carbid holder. The lower part of the strap 43 is bent outwardly into a substantially horizontal position, as shown at 43*, and said outwardly bent portion is adapted, when the strap is swung otfguard relatively to the filling plug 46, to engage the weighted arm 35 of the hook 34 and swing the latter to such an extent as to free the hook from the handle 31 of the carbid feed actuating mechanism. This permits the feed-shoe to swing to nondelivery position, thereby preventing the dumping of any carbid into the generation chamber when the plug is withdrawn to refill the carbid holder. In this connection it may be stated that the feed-shoe is hung either to one side of its center of gravity, or it is provided with a weight, such as the weight 25 on its bottom (Fig. 4), to insure the gravitation of the shoe to non-delivery position when released from the control of the shoe-actuating mechanism. The strap 43 is preferably engaged by guide clips 47 secured to the wall of the carbid holder on opposite sides of the strap, said clips holding the upper and lower portions of the strap against the holder and also forming stops to prevent the swinging of the strap in the wrong direction. To facilitate the swinging of the'strap to a osition to free the plug 46 I preferably emp oy a tensile spring 48 connected at one end to the strap beneath the lower clip 47 and at its other end anchored to a pin 49 secured in the carbid holder.

In the normal operation of the apparatus, as the gasometer bell descends from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 the hook 24 engages the handle 31 and swings the crank arm 30 upwardly, thereby tilting the feed-shoe from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5, dumping a charge of carbid into the generation chamber. The evolved gas then raises the gasom- .eter bell, thereby allowing the lever 33 and hook 34 to descend, and permitting the return swing of the feed-shoe to charge-receiving position; the subsequent descent of the gasometer bell, as the gas is consumed, effooting the dumping of the next charge, and so on. If the bell descends to an abnormally low position, as shown in Fig. 3, the hook 34 is raised to a point where the handle 31 slips off the same, thus allowing the feedshoe to swing to non-delivery position. In case nothing is wrong with the apparatus, the hook and the handle can be readily-reengaged by hand; but in the event that the condition of the apparatus is such as to rev.

quire the opening or removal of the carbid holder, the automatic disengagement of the hook and handle insures against the delivery of carbid during the removal of the carbid holder or during or after the opening of the latter. Also, when the carbid holder requires refilling, the end 43" of the strap 43 is sprung over the pin 45 of the filling plug and the strap swung by the spring 48 from over the plug, during which movement the lower bent end 43 of the strap engages thecounter-weighted arm and swings the hook upwardly, disengaging the crank arm 30, and permitting the tilting of the feedshoe to non-dumping position.

By mounting the carbid holder removably on the upper end of the generating tank and suspending the feed-shoe from the lower end of the carbid holder within the tank and providing a separable driving connection for the feed-shoe, the dismantling of the apparatus to clean and inspect the parts within the. generating tank is rendered exceedingly simple, it being necessary only to unbolt the carbid holder from the generating tank and lift it, with the feed-shoe, clear of the gen- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the erating tank; the simple converse of these operations efiecting the reassembling of the parts into operative relation.

I claim:

In an acetylene gas generator, the combi nation with a generating tank, a carbid holder mounted thereon, a pivoted feed-shoe suspended from said carbid holder and normally tending to assume a non-dumping position, a gasometer bell, an actuating shaft for said feed-shoe having a crank, a pivoted lever having pivotally mounted thereon a counterweighted hook engaging said crank, actuating connections between said pivoted lever and said gasometer bell, and an interference device on said carbid holder adapted, when moved to a position permitting the opening of the carbid holder to engage said counterweighted hook and disengage the latter from said crank, substantially as described.

PAUL A. ROSE.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL N. PoND, EMILLE Rosn.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

